Many of us who spend time outdoors may have noticed an increase in insect activity with the warm weather and welcome rainfall. One insect you may have seen is the infamous termite, especially during a recent swarm. Termites, responsible for billions of dollars of structural damage each year around the world due to their unique ability to eat wood, are a natural part of the Florida landscape.

Termites in Florida

There are twenty species of termite established in Florida, with six being invasive introductions. However, of those twenty, only six exclusively or often infest structures, with the rest rarely or never infesting structures, and just trying to live their lives. Because these insects are a natural component of our local ecosystems and serve an important role in recycling nutrients, we do have to accept that they will be around, but that doesn’t mean we just let the structure infesting species go wild. In addition to hiring a pest control service to defend and/or treat our structures for termites, there are some other preventative measures that can help keep termites from finding suitable habitat near your home.

Termite Prevention Tips

Just like when trying to prevent nuisance animals, the key to preventing termites is to minimize moisture, food, and habitat. For termites, it is also important to make your home easy to monitor for termite infestations. Here are a couple of tips:

• Try to eliminate wood-to-ground contact.
• Keep any wooden debris, including firewood, away from the structure.
• Ensure that water runs away from the home, including your AC drain and gutter downspouts. Also make sure any sprinklers are not directed towards the home.
• Do not locate compost piles, rain barrels, or other items that maintain soil moisture within two feet of the structure.
• Keep landscape plants around the home at least two feet off the structure so you have an easy way to monitor for termites. This also keeps other pests from hiding or using the plants as a bridge to your home.
• When using mulch, keep the mulch at least one foot off the foundation, and only place a shallow cover (less than two inches) of mulch near the foundation. Ideally, you should also leave an inspection space vertically between the mulch and any wooden materials, such as siding.

Even with these preventative measures, termites may still arrive and cause concern. Your local Extension Office can help by confirming the identification of any suspected termites. Ants are often confused with termites, especially in their winged alate stage, so confirmation of the suspected pest is important as treatment methods and costs can vary greatly. If termites are confirmed, then it is best to contact a licensed pest control company to go over options and further investigate the extent of the termite infestation.

For more on termites and termite prevention, the following UF/IFAS Extension resources have lots of research-based information:

• Termite Prevention and Control
• Termite Species Distribution in Florida
• The Facts about Termites and Mulch

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